GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Students by the hundreds stayed after school at Cherry Creek High School Wednesday to honor and support their friends at Arapahoe High School.
Many students say they have so many friends at Arapahoe that the pain of the shooting Friday has been felt at Cherry Creek, which is not too far away.
The Cherry Creek students launched Black and Gold balloons. Black and Gold are Arapahoe’s school colors.
Students from Arapahoe were there as well, directing fundraising efforts for Claire Davis, the 17-year-old girl who was shot at Friday afternoon.
Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said Wednesday night Claire and shooter Karl Pierson were acquaintances at the school, but the two were never close friends.
“At this time, the investigation by the Sheriff’s Office has not revealed any indication that Claire was an intended target, or that the shooter knew her location in the school,” Robinson says.
Claire’s family says she was in critical but stable condition at Littleton Adventist Hospital Wednesday.
Teachers and staff were allowed back inside the school on Wednesday, while students will be able to return on a staggered schedule to retrieve anything they may have left behind.
Students will be able to recover their items on the following schedule, the school announced:
Thursday, Dec. 19:
Seniors Class of 2014 – 8-10 a.m.
Juniors Class of 2015 – 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 20: